Paul Giamatti In Talks To Join The Cast Of David Cronenberg’s Cosmopolis

David Cronenberg and Paul Giamatti working together? Yes please. Now that Cronenberg’s “A Dangerous Method” is in the post-production stages of the game, his next project, an adaptation of Don DeLillo’s novel “Cosmopolis” appears to be coalescing nicely. Colin Farrell and Marion Cotillard have been attached to the project, and now Giamatti is also in talks to join the cast.

“Cosmopolis” follows 24 hours in the life of a newly married billionaire as he cheats on his wife, is pursued by a stalker, gets attacked by a protester, and gradually loses his entire fortune over the course of a single day. Farrell is set to play the billionaire and Cotillard his wife in the adaptation penned by Cronenberg himself. As far as we know, the only other major roles in the story would be the two men who are stalking the protagonist, a pastry chef and another more menacing character.

Though no deal has been made, the Playlist reports that Giamatti is in active talks to take a role. From the sound of things, that part will likely be one of Farrell’s stalkers. Let’s hope it’s the menacing one, which would be right up the veteran character actor’s alley. Though I could also see him playing a violently zealous protester.

Giamatti is a virtual chameleon, a performer who can seamlessly go from playing a snotty wine connoisseur in “Sideways”, to a cantankerous cartoonist in “American Splendor”. Cronenberg is a master at brining out dark psychological quirks in his actors, and infusing his work with a horrific audacity. The Canadian filmmaker has talked about adapting Jonathan Lethem’s sci-fi novel “As She Climbs Across the Table” next, which could be incredible.